* Posts by Fred Flintstone

3106 publicly visible posts • joined 9 Jun 2009

Boffins baffled: HUGE EYEBALL washes up on Florida beach

Fred Flintstone Gold badge

The problem with losing an eye..

.. is that you need as many eyes as possible to look for it.

I'm not sure how critical eyesight is to something that large, but there is a chance that this animal will eventually show up floating belly up - I suspect removing an eye that size will have involved a serious amount of violence and fighting.

I'd keep an eye out..

Six months under water and iPhone 4 STILL WORKS

Fred Flintstone Gold badge

Re: +1

It's still on Youtube. Start here : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xnWKz7Cthkk (or search for "Killing a Toyota").

It was an impressive performance, the silly thing *still* worked afterwards. Brilliant entertainment :).

Why will UK web supersnoop plan cost £1.8bn? That's a secret

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Re: But, but

Honestly, you should know by now that you can fully trust MPs. It's like expenses.

Oh, wait..

Fred Flintstone Gold badge

Re: Are they stupid or something?

Actually, there's a very strong deterrent effect from telling people that every aspect of their lives is being monitored, scrutinised, reviewed and judged. It makes them think twice about stepping out of line and invokes a feeling of fear that keeps them under your thumb, but without the inconvenience of actually having to do anything.

Yup. People always refer to 1984, but the model they are actually following is from the late 18th century, called the Panopticon. It's basically a mindf*ck to stop you claiming your rights under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which states you have a right to privacy (actually, it collides with more but I can't be asked to look it up right now).

See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panopticon

Fred Flintstone Gold badge

Re: Cost estimates...

Actually, I think this is at least a bit more honest than a FOIA driven "oops" later. I think that reviewing costs is sensible as the threat keeps changing. However, I totally disagree with the lack of transparency - it is tax money spent on spying on the tax payer and friends so I think clarity would be obligatory. Not in detail (duh), but I think there must be a model by which oversight can be maintained without immediately go public about the details.

Otherwise taxpayers are entirely justified to ask:

"What do they have to hide?" (tm).

And I agree with a previous commentard that the figure seems suspiciously low for a project of that scope - unless part of it was already paid from a less visible source (the one that funded an MI6 building that emerged to be grenade proof springs to mind).

Microsoft to devs: Bug users about security … now!

Fred Flintstone Gold badge

You know, I have actually done some analysis on that (I got bored one day, doesn't happen often), and I found that text files cover about 90% of my needs because it's the fastest medium for my profession, followed closely by images when something is easier explained in a picture (typically hardware related, or a structure). Combine the two and .rtf is all you need.

Next to that come spreadsheets, but that's no longer just info, that's modelling.

From that follows that every other bit of formatting is superfluous (I have to stress that that is for ME) - it may make things look prettier but doesn't add any value - but also doesn't invite the "must add pretty picture to make it look good" syndrome or the hour long fiddling with formatting which doesn't improve the data itself.

Now for data formats. I read PDFs in non-Adobe readers because I have long given up trusting them to produce something that works without the need for updates every hour (very Microsoft compatible), so I'm less worried here - and the process is sandboxed by default.

My personal preference for office format is ODF, which happens to be a European Standard that was achieved by consensus rather than bribery and flat out structural abuse. It just happens to be less risky as well..

Now, to answer your question: apples and pears. That another format is less or more risky is irrelevant. The current format is laughable. I see no real reason why such data cannot be placed online in a wiki or other open, more risk free accessible format. I don't see why users must yet again have this deplorable abomination of an office format rammed down their throats.

Oh, wait. Forget I mentioned it.

It's Microsoft..

Fred Flintstone Gold badge

Hahahahahahahahaha

Details about security .. in a .docx document.

Bwahahahahaaaahaha. Hoohahahahaaa. Hihihihi.

Sorry, hihi, I, hahaha, have to lie down for a moment. BWAHAHAHAHAHA. Hihihi. Sniffel. Hihihihi.

Let me know who falls for that one. Hahahaha. Absolutely epic..

Rover spots 'possibly artificial' MYSTERY SHINY OBJECT on Mars

Fred Flintstone Gold badge

Re: Is it just me..

I want patience NOW!

Oh, wait..

Fred Flintstone Gold badge

Is it just me..

.. or is it still seriously awesome that we get this quality of imagery from a planet so far away?

Meanwhile, I can't get decent 3G out on the sticks. Maybe we need some NASA guys to improve the design..

Japanese cellco drops veil on futuristic hands-free video phone

Fred Flintstone Gold badge

Love it

As it combines real data with a pre-rendered image, you could render yourself properly shaved first, than pick up the phone early morning or totally plastered and still look decent.

"No, honey, we just had a very late meeting"

Ah, so many possibilities. They have something there..

Big Blue bigwig: Tiny processor knobs can't shrink forever

Fred Flintstone Gold badge

Re: "even long enough for someone to figure out how to shrink atoms down to a more convenient size"

Use smaller atoms to start with.. You may accidentally end up with a black hole when the lot collapses, but it's an idea.. :)

Edge-of-space skydiver grounded by ANOTHER bout of bad wind

Fred Flintstone Gold badge

Re: grounded by ANOTHER bout of bad wind

Well he really should lay off the beans then; especially when wearing a spacesuit.

That's why it has been made difficult to smoke inside a space suit..

O2 flogs logs of mobe locations to anyone with a wallet

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Re: Great news

Now I can find out where the hell I've been all month.

A chav's phone, coming to a store near you. I like it..

"I spent the whole month in a drunken stupor, but I still know where I have been, thanks to O2 pub-crawl monitor. Discover the places you lost your wallet, dignity and later most of your stomach. Relive those moments of embarrassment. Discover where you actually lived before your wife changed the locks."

This could be one hell of a comical ad :)

Fred Flintstone Gold badge

Re: What is your data worth? Way more than you think, time to get paid for it.

Friend of mine who was involved in the data collection and management of loyalty cards for Point of Sale systems told me that one persons data could be worth as much as $1,000 per year.

Interesting, got anything to back that up? I would *LOVE* to know how much is paid for the data of one person that places like Google collect, but AFAIK there isn't a study out there that puts a decent figure on it. Probably because it would nuke the "free" myth of services such as Farcebook and Google..

Fred Flintstone Gold badge

It won't be anonymised for long..

All you need is correlation with some other database, say, credit card purchases, and you have associated a movement pattern with an identity.

This is effectovely what Google does as wll - it just keeps gathering data and at some point you'll make a mistake and log in somewhere - presto, the unallocated chain of events now has your name as a probable owner.

This is risk 2: such mosaic matching results in PROBABLE matches, not absolute ones - just look at how the TSA treats a blacklist to get an idea of what happens when people don't understand the difference. This is also what annoys me in CSI fingerprint matches where a partial thumb somehow only ever produces one single hit..

No, no and no. It is time we get laws that allow us to tell the phone companies to either not track, or consider this data personal.

Facebook digs in over Jill Meagher page

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Re: Contempt

Not in Oz but in the US; so they really won't care one way or another IMHO..

New British tax-cuts-for-patents scheme criticised

Fred Flintstone Gold badge

No wonder Deloitte is in favour and talks it up..

Any normal business is going to need heaps of very expensive consultants to report on what they have and how it can be abused (I am not going to deign that idea with a positive word, sorry).

So, from Deloitte's point of view, there are indeed no downsides. For everyone else this is almost as bad a setup for a scam as the ID card scheme was..

Huawei says US probe had 'predetermined outcome'

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Re: Bottom line ...

That depends, are you talking about Huawei or the American gov't?

Yes :)

(sorry, too big a temptation to pass up. "Both" is the actual answer, with the latter a lot less than the former as the latter is too busy pretending).

Iran X.25 terrorists actually BANKERS

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Re: Of Course if this info was seen by the US

No amount of double checking would have saved them from a carpet bombing of his house

That would have been easy to avoid: just stay in the house. Their aim isn't exactly sterling..

Massive strike at Foxconn's iPhone 5 factory

Fred Flintstone Gold badge

˙˙ɟɟo ƃuıʍoɥs ʇsnɾ ǝɹ,noʎ ʍoN

RIP Psion PLC: You're with Motorola now

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Re: Sony UX50

In my opinion, the best PDA I ever had was a Sony Clie NX70.. Small, usable, multiple, in those days already capable of video and audio recording and the most awesome feature I VERY much miss in modern smartphones: the ability to act as a universal remote control.

In those days, my son was ill quite often so I spent many evenings in A&E wards in hospitals - with the Clié, I could at least change the channels of the TV in there :)

ReDigi fights for right to sell used digital music

Fred Flintstone Gold badge

we could all be winners whatever the outcome.

Actually, no. I would much prefer that the first sale doctrine applies, because the alternative is handing even more control to the music industry. Microsoft already demonstrated what happens with "your" music when one of these outfits decides to pack up and take their toys home: you are left with nothing at all.

With a First sale doctrine applied, at least you are given back some control over your own purchases.

Will you soon be fingering your seven-incher?

Fred Flintstone Gold badge
Coat

Re: How about 0 points?

Many companies seem to be looking at going touch-free, detecting gestures from afar.

I claim prior art here. I have been using touch-free gestures detection with my boss for years. What's more, it doesn't even involve multiple fingers..

McFlurry McMisdemeanour costs Welsh lass McJob

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Re: Would you like...

Given that she actually had an above average record I suspect the opposite is true - she had good judgement, always something worth preserving.

Personally I hope she doesn't enter into a doorstop settlement and pushes it fully into court. She will win.

Fred Flintstone Gold badge

Re: Fast Food Franchises

Dogs' milk lasts longer than any other type of milk...

7x longer?

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Coat

Re: Never mind the McFluffys

I actually don't WANT it taste like the one on the wall as that is made of paper and plastic..

Fred Flintstone Gold badge

Re: It was gross misconduct

You're right if you're looking at it from the viewpoint of a normal human being (an angle apparently completely alien to this McF*ck of a manager). I was more looking at the legal side - English employment law offers a degree of protection from morons like that, so if she takes this to court McScrewup will have to explain why no proper process was followed. It's a clean a case of constructive dismissal as I have ever seen.

Not only is it required to warn an employee first so that they can correct their behaviour, McScrewup will also have to explain how this fits in with an otherwise above average record. If McMarketing has any sense whatsoever they will try to settle this as soon as possible with a more than generous payment accompanied with a gagging clause, otherwise this will provide month of fast food for the press instead. The press is always on the side of the individual.

I suspect the manager in question is likely to have maxed his career path by this stunt, and deservedly so.

Fred Flintstone Gold badge

Re: It was gross misconduct

You've got a point there - unless she had prior warnings, this is not going to fly.

The argument that she gave food for free is not going to run well either, because there WAS payment. I suspect the court is going to take a VERY dim view of sacking someone for imprecise measuring.

Her lawyer will have an easy job.

Fred Flintstone Gold badge

Re: I used to work at McD

We shall never know

We will, I think, because to make a dismissal stick you need to have good grounds. Just waving an employee manual around and call it the Bible is not going to help in court, which tends to be more sympathetic to the employee (with good reason, since they tend to be the weaker party).

What's more, the publicity surrounding this case is likely to focus on the fact that McD is stingy with the nice stuff - all extra brand damage that the manager could have foreseen. I fully suspect this is going to be a doorstop settlement - and offer to settle just when she is about to walk into court. McD cannot afford this.

Adobe scrambles to revoke stolen cert

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Re: @solidsoup

Yup - he is right. As far as I can tell from the quality, malware is all the free software Adobe is making these days..

WTF is... NFC

Fred Flintstone Gold badge

If I only had £10M..

There is a *perfect* solution to the problem, which exists in 3 parts. The problem is that it takes about £10M to set up the global network to support it, but at that point you would be the first in something like 2 decades to actually *compete* with VISA and Mastercard. The problem you have is that those two (and AMEX) have built a global equipment infrastructure, which is hard to compete with unless you do the same.

Unless you don't.

Apple slip-up slows iOS 6 upgrades

Fred Flintstone Gold badge

Apple beta testing in "live" again?

Yes, it's known as "taking the Windows Vista route".. Stupid, reaaaally stupid.

'How I CRASHED my bank, stole PINs with a touch-tone phone'

Fred Flintstone Gold badge
Go

Re: XKCD warned of this...

.. and yes again.

As a matter of fact, I think we can elevate this to a standard. No topic is complete without an XKCD link.

Ten backpacks for tech-heads

Fred Flintstone Gold badge

Re: Too low rating for swissgear

the "document/spare clothes" stores is not big. It is enormous compared to any similar laptop-size/overall size backpack

I concur. I have taken to clearing that bag out weekly, because it is entirely possible to forget things in it as it doesn't fill up that quickly. That's also the main disadvantage of this bag - it doesn't stop you sticking half your household in it, you will only notice what you've done when you try to lift it :).

Key evidence in Assange case dissolves

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Re: The smoking gun..

Sigh. He has not been charged because The Swedish process demands him to be present before that can happen. Do you think you don't have a parking ticket because you refuse to open the envelope too?

If he had gone over there as asked they would have started to examine the evidence earlier, and this would have been found sooners, saving us the misery of having to read about it again

.. and again ..

.. and again ..

.. and again ..

.. and again ..

Personally I would have liked to help nail him in a box and ship him to Ecuador. I don't specifically care where he ends up, as long as I stop hearing of him. I am as interested in his

Phone-hack saga: Prison officer cuffed in cop bung probe

Fred Flintstone Gold badge

Re: Why the phrase "illegal payments"?

Two explanations:

- publicity. The word "illegal"acts as a reminder that a dodgy act took place (well, when convicted, let's not get ahead of ourselves). "Bribe" is too tame.

- consultitis. Never known a consultant to use one word where a fully indexed, bound and cross referenced book needing 6 man years to complete would do..

Intel contextual awareness: 'We know what your wife is up to'

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Re: Contextual Awareness

The phone company doesn't care either way - an SMS earns them money too. The whole genesis of voicemail was for phone companies to grab that minute that an unanswered or busy call would otherwise have made them miss out on. That's also why the menus are so extensive and.. so.. slow..ly.. spo..ken. - the whole idea is to give you as little opportunity as possible to use the first (usually free) minute.

Microsoft to open 32 pop-up retail stores for the holidays

Fred Flintstone Gold badge
Pint

Of course they are trying to do this quietly..

.. I think they know already that a SOFTWARE shop may not quite work as well as a HARDWARE shop, so no fanfare means less egg on face when it fails.

I wish them luck. No, wait. It's Microsoft. I hope their aggregate customer numbers for year 1 is 20 - and 19 of those only came in because it was raining outside. There. Payback for Windows. Bwahahaha.

Was that fanatic enough, or slightly overdone?

Beer, because I can.

E-publisher 'fesses up: 'Apple UDIDs were ours'

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Yeah, why ruin a perfectly good conspiracy theory.. :)

Fred Flintstone Gold badge

Re: Discontinued.

If it is possible for them to conduct business without collecting UDIDs, then why were they collecting them in to begin with?

Because they maybe are not in a nation that has any sensible and/or enforced Data Protection laws? Just guessing.. This is a *CLASSIC* example of how collecting too much data creates risks for those whose data it is. Are you listening, intercept promoting politicians?

Foxconn: We're not FORCING interns to make iPhone 5

Fred Flintstone Gold badge
Stop

Re: An Interesting Skill...

A spiky gimp mask "fanboi" icon because...

.. other phones don't need assembling or cables made?

I'm very amused at all the comments of people who use this as a platform to someone proclaim "their" make to be "better" - without a shred of evidence that manufacturing is somehow magically different for other phones.

I will defend the right of anyone to w*nk off over any make of phone they decide to choose (just don't complain about not getting warranty), but spare me the self-righteous twaddle that one make is somehow better than another because of some (usually imaginary) quality.

If those fanatics would put as much effort into severing the connection between their possessions and their ego they would see it does not make a blind bit of difference what phone they use. It's not a club membership anymore than that it changes you as a person (and if it does, you *really* need to seek help).. If you're an idiot, adding a phone will not change that. If you're a "cool dude" the type of phone you use should not matter.

As yet I have not seen a perfect phone, and I've only been using mobile phones since the analogue NEC P3..

This was a public service announcement. Thank you, and good night.

Emotional baggage

Fred Flintstone Gold badge

Re: Unexpectedly awesome bag

I think you mean the UPPTÄCKA bag - it's a roller bag, but the front comes off as a rucksack. Actually a fairly awesome tip - I have indeed varying "loads" depending on what work I do where.

OK, where is my IKEA discount card..

Fred Flintstone Gold badge
Coat

The one problem with a Wenger Backpack

The thing is large - Tardis-like, even - inside. The problem is thus that it actually invites you to lug along backbreaking amounts of gear. To give you an idea of just how much space the thing has, I'm pretty sure that if I forgot about taking along the body of a particularly irritating former end user for disposal, it is quite possible that it would remain in the bag until a pungent smell would remind me of its presence - it wouldn't get in my way in the meantime..

Google snags patent on price discrimination

Fred Flintstone Gold badge

Isn't this the umbrella law?

AFAIK, there is heaps of prior art here, the simplest one is the price of umbrellas going up when it rains.

Can something this obvious really be patented?

Ballmer predicts 400 MILLION Win 8 Surface and Lumia fumblers

Fred Flintstone Gold badge

Not Communicator

Personally, the best keyboard I've ever used was on the Sony Ericsson p1i. For a keyboard that only had 20 keys it was awesome. Just the rest wasn't that impressive (other than the built-in business card scanner)..

Toothbrush fixes ISS’ stuck bolt

Fred Flintstone Gold badge

OK, that's it

The next rocket to go up should be sponsored by B&Q..